JODHPUR, INDIA, July 25, 2002: Over 150 idols of Hindu Gods and Goddesses resembling the erotic Khajuraho murals and meant for export to United Kingdom have been seized by customs department in Jodhpur, official sources said on Thursday. The statues, included 95 of Lord Ganesha, were seized from a railway container depot, they said. The sources said the statues, each five to six inches tall, were made with a “Khajuraho touch” to attract foreign buyers. Investigations had revealed that a Delhi-based firm had concealed the statues, worth US$10,200, with other handicraft items for shipping abroad, the sources said. Customs officials said trade in statues in such poses had probably been going on for a long time as there was a demand for them in UK and other European countries.
A daily summary of world news for Hindus and non-Hindus alike